LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Clark County leaders passed its hotly debated homeless camping ordinance, punishing people with a citation or arrest if they do not move or accept an available bed at a shelter.
The Clark County Commission passed the ordinance Tuesday, as numerous members of the public and advocates for the unhoused came to voice support or opposition.
The unhoused must be warned to move their encampment before a citation or arrest occurs. A person must be offered an available bed; a person cannot be arrested if there is no bed available, or if the person is having a mental health emergency.
A recent Supreme Court ruling on homeless camps states that cities and counties can give a ticket for people camping, regardless of whether there is a public shelter or bed available.
FOX5 has reported about the rise of homelessness across the Valley, as eviction rates and costs for rent has soared. FOX5 has covered the costly challenges with homeless camp cleanups along public areas like trails.
“None of us really want to be in this position, but it’s also the reality that we’re all facing on the ground,” said Commissioner Justin Jones.
Commissioner William McCurdy was the lone vote in opposition, expressing concern about enforcing the law now: the county is still in the process of creating more facilities and more shelter space.
“9,013 non congregate beds that we have are 85% full. 1,600 non congregate shelter that is over 80% full as well. And the homeless population is evolving. It’s not just folks who are suffering some from substance and mental abuse, but also from those who are literally the working poor. They’re working a full-time job, maybe two jobs, and they’re living in their car,” McCurdy said.
The ordinance will take effect in February of 2025. An earlier draft slated the date to start in January.
The CEO of HELP of Southern Nevada, Fuilala Riley, requested a delay, all to allow more beds to become available. Riley also asked for assistance to educate their homeless outreach teams on the ordinance.
“There’s a lot of street outreach teams out there that I do believe need education on the effects of the of the ordinance. The street outreach teams have the trust of a lot of the unhoused. If we could be able to communicate effectively with them, it might be received a little better than from our partners at Metro,” Riley said before commissioners.
FOX5 recently followed the outreach teams as they offer support and services to people living in encampments.
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